What is British?
Discussion
kitcarman said:
You could save a lot if you had the parts made overseas with "cheap" labour and have what you want instead of what you can afford in UK???
Good to see you contributing to “Building a future for British kit cars”.
Your comment got me thinking. What is a Britsh car?
Not necessarily kit cars, British cars.
Is Jaguar? Owned by Ford so maybe they are American.
Are Lotus? Owned by GM, American too.
If you define it as a car built in Britain, then surely the Nissan Micra is British.
So is it fair to say a British designer selling a product designed for the British market, marketed through a British company and in the case of kit cars using British donor cars (whoops! German, American or Japanese donors) is not selling a British car?
True he might manufacture the car outside of the country due to cost implications, but don't many British clothing designers do the same?
Is Vivienne Westwood creating a future for British fashion?
You got me there. Maybe I wasn't thinking enough. Alex said:
I think a British car is one where the majority of the design and engineering has been done in the UK. Hence the Micra is not British, but a Noble (although assembled in South Africa) is.
Vince. With this theory, are you producing a 'British' car?
I'm waiting to be Tannered
Interesting about Ultima sourcing GRP from S. Africa.
>> Edited by Ex-Biker on Tuesday 27th January 11:47
kitcarman said:
But in the second, the labour salaries and other associated monies (local suppliers etc.) stay in this country.
Guess I was just saying it is a very complex ecominic picture.
I’d say it’s getting unneccessarily complex considering the thread was inspired by the case of the Python.Looking specifically:-
Owned by a Sri Lankan investor.
Made in a Sri Lankan factory using Sri Lankan material and Sri Lankan labour.
Profits will presumably go to Sri Lanka.
Even Vince’s share stays in Sri Lanka because that’s where he lives.
My point was and is that the Python is hardly “Building a future for British kit cars”. That’s what appears on the cover of the magazine in which it’s relentlessly promoted.
Den
That's better Den Alex said:
I think a British car is one where the majority of the design and engineering has been done in the UK. Hence the Micra is not British, but a Noble (although assembled in South Africa) is.
But if we include this point, is it as clear cut then?
Anyway, It's a pretty good debate, isn't it?
There ain't much that is purely British!
And I doubt many of us could be given the title 'supporting the British motor industry'
Closest I can get to saying that is a Marlin with Rover donor. The fact I own an Audi, BMW and Toyota sort of spoil it though.
Oooowww . . . I do like to start something then move back from the argument. 
Ferg, Thanks for including the Marlin in your list of 'British'.
I could see the debate getting down to the brass tacks. Well more like the Taiwanese rivets and Indian seat cloths.
Does show one thing: For any business to succeed it needs to be willing to look internationally for products and components. Otherwise it is likely to stay a small scale venture.
Ferg, Thanks for including the Marlin in your list of 'British'.
I could see the debate getting down to the brass tacks. Well more like the Taiwanese rivets and Indian seat cloths.
Does show one thing: For any business to succeed it needs to be willing to look internationally for products and components. Otherwise it is likely to stay a small scale venture. Gassing Station | Kit Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff